Attempted attack in New York "sobering," Obama says (Extra)

May 4, 2010, 16:28 GMT

Washington - The attempted detonation of a car bomb in New York could have taken hundreds of lives and was a 'sobering reminder' of the threat posed by terrorism, US President Barack Obama said Tuesday.

'This incident is another sobering reminder of the times in which we lives,' Obama said in brief remarks hours after US authorities arrested a Pakistani immigrant suspected of involvement in Saturday's failed attack in Times Square.

Obama praised the quick steps taken by law enforcement that 'may have saved hundreds of lives.'

Authorities arrested Faisal Shahzad, a naturalized US citizen identified as a native of Karachi, late Monday at John F Kennedy International Airport as he was to board a flight to Dubai. He had been identified by customs and security officers.

An investigation was underway to determine if Shahzad, 30, had any connections to known terrorist organizations, Obama said.

Authorities were alerted to a car bomb planted in a Nissan Pathfinder and parked at New York's Times Square Saturday evening after smoke emerged from the vehicle. That bomb failed to detonate.